ANNUAL LISTING OF LARGEST AG MKTG COMMUNICATION AGENCIESMay 2006AgriMarketing magazine's annual survey of the largest Agricultural Marketing Communication Agencies, the 56 agencies reporting stated their income from agribusiness and producer-funded clients grew an average of 4% over the prior year. Total annual income for the ag communication agency business is now estimated at $155 million.

The five largest agencies' income (see page 50) totaled $63 million, representing a 16% increase over the prior year. The 17 largest agencies that reported their staff size, stated they had a total of 560 employees working on ag accounts. Those 17 agencies reported total income of $81 million, so the average revenue generated per employee was $144,642.

Paulsen Marketing Communications, Sioux Falls, SD, and Gibbs & Soell, Inc., New York, NY, had the largest increase in income (18%) over the prior year, followed by Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications, Naperville, IL, (14%).

Osborne & Barr, St. Louis, MO, reported the most income from producer-funded accounts.At the request of the participating agencies, "Income" is the standard that is used to report the findings rather than "Billings." Billings can be calculated in a number of different methods, whereas Income is a more standardized statistic. Income is defined as all revenues received by the agency for performing services on behalf of its agribusiness and producer-funded clients.